Title: AftershockAuthor: jstabeFandom: Teen WolfPairing: NoneRating: PG-13 for swearing Spoilers: For season 3 in general, major for episodes 305 and 306Warnings: NoneDisclaimer: I do not own these characters, some big huge corporation does.Beta: haldoor

Derek smells him before he hears him. It would probably irritate Stiles to know how familiar Derek is with his scent, but after the pool incident, it isn’t something that he’s been able to forget. It’s usually a mix of soap, Scott, the sheriff, and whatever cologne Stiles has decided to throw on that day, with the underlying hint of chemicals from Stiles’ Adderall. Now, that familiar smell is overlaid with the pungent smell of grief, anger, and a hint of… gasoline? Derek is frowning and moving toward the door as it opens. Stiles is looking at the ground, shoulders slumped, but he must hear Derek because his head snaps up. Derek watches a myriad of emotions cross his face before Stiles swallows hard.

“Holy shit, you’re alive.”

There’s not much Derek can say to that except to point out the obvious so he just shrugs.

“And just as verbal as before you ‘died.’ Good to know.”

“Stiles…”

Stiles waves a hand. “It’s fine. Not like you need skill to send a text.” Something must show on Derek’s face because Stiles frowns. “You did text Scott, right? Isaac? Boyd?” Derek hunches his shoulders further at each name. “Holy… does anyone but me know you’re alive?”

If there is a God, Derek’s known for a while that he isn’t particularly high on that deity’s list. It’s further proven when, in a move straight out of some movie, the bathroom door opens and Jennifer comes out, oblivious to what she’s walking into. She’s wearing one of Derek’s shirts and he watches Stiles’ eyes widen as he takes in her appearance. He looks around the room, obviously just now noticing the rumpled bed and the clothes strewn on the floor. When he meets Derek’s eyes again, his expression is murderous.

“You have got to be freaking kidding me right now!”

Jennifer jumps, finally realizing that they aren’t alone. She looks to Derek, but he keeps his gaze on Stiles.

“Stiles…”

“This is why you couldn’t pick up a phone?”

“This isn’t what you think.”

The look Stiles gives him is full of incredulity and Derek can’t blame him; he doesn’t think he’s said anything so clichéd in his life.

“So you weren’t screwing our English teacher while the rest of us nearly died?”

“Stiles!”

Stiles doesn’t bother looking at Derek, his attention having swung to Jennifer. “Do you even know what’s going on?”

Jennifer glances from Stiles to Derek and back again. “Not really, no. I know that he needed help and I was there. The rest… we haven’t talked about yet.”

Stiles snorts. “Yeah, well, good luck with that. Tall, dark, and silent over there isn’t exactly a font of information. Case in point, his whole being alive deal.”

Derek bristles, tired of Stiles’ attitude. He has a right to be upset, but this is too much. “Like you even care. You’ve advocated my death how many times now?”

Stiles’ eyes widen just before the anger Derek has felt simmering erupts. “Dude, fuck you!” Derek flinches, shocked to hear the word coming from Stiles. “You have no idea what we just went through. What your pack went through because of you.”

Derek casts a guilty look in Jennifer’s direction; Stiles smiles spitefully. “What, afraid to let her know just what you are?”

“Scott nearly died because he wouldn’t let himself heal. He felt too guilty because he thought he was responsible for your death.”

Derek rolls his eyes, not knowing why he feels it necessary to add fuel to this particular fire. “If Scott felt guilty, it wasn’t about me. He doesn’t want anyone to die, not even the Alpha pack. It had nothing to do with me in particular.”

Stiles is so angry that Derek can almost feel the fury pouring off him in waves. “Not like you deserve to have him care. What have you ever done for him? For any of them? You bit them and then left them to fend for themselves. Do you even know where Isaac went after you kicked him out? In the pouring rain; I just want to add that part for the listening audience.”

Jennifer, who has been watching the exchange like a spectator at the world’s most horrible tennis match, blinks then looks to Derek. “I think this is probably a private conversation that I shouldn’t be a part of.”

Stiles laughs bitterly and waves his arms. “Ah, hell, you might as well stick around. Crazy shit happens in this town all the time and you’re involved now.”

“She isn’t involved, Stiles.”

It isn’t until a flash of hurt crosses Jennifer’s face that Derek realizes how that sounded. He puts a hand on her arm, hoping the touch is reassuring. All it seems to do is make Stiles angrier.

“So, yeah, I didn’t get a chance to tell you about the best part. While you were getting sexed up, the puppies were hopped up on wolfsbane and going all suicidal.” Derek has no idea what expression is on his face but it makes Stiles smile maliciously. “Yep, loads of excitement was had at the Bates Motel. Boyd tried to drown himself, Ethan tried to cut himself in half with a hand saw, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds, and Isaac… well, I really don’t know what the hell Isaac was doing. He was hiding under the bed so it might have been death by dust bunnies, but considering his father’s douchiness rivaled Jackson’s, I’m pretty sure it was some horrible flashback that I’m better off not knowing about.”

A thousand responses flit through Derek’s head, but for once in his life, he’s smart enough not to say anything except “God, Stiles, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Stiles smiles, but there isn’t anything pleasant about it. “But you can’t be sorry, Derek, because you haven’t heard the best part yet. I haven’t told you about Scott. Aren’t you even a little curious about him?” Stiles’ eyes narrow and his voice goes cold and hard. “Ask me about him, Derek. Ask me about Scott.”

Derek is about a thousand percent sure that he doesn’t want to know, but there is no way he’s ignoring Stiles, not when he’s like this. He makes his voice as gentle as possible, beyond sorry now that he’d triggered Stiles’ anger on purpose.

“Tell me about Scott.”

“He doused himself in gasoline and lit a flare.”

There’s a choked sound and a look of complete and utter horror on Jennifer’s face. Her eyes are shining, tears obvious in her voice when she speaks. “Oh God, Stiles.”

Stiles swallows hard and just deflates. “Yeah, like I said, a great night was had by all.” He looks toward the bed and Derek feels his face heat with shame. “Gotta tell you, I’m pretty sure I would have preferred the kind of fun you were having, but hey! Everyone got out alive so who cares, right?” He meets Derek’s eyes and the derision in them has Derek reeling back. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Derek, and after this, I really don’t care. It’s obvious you’ve abandoned your pack.” He shrugs. “I mean, you don’t really need us anymore anyway, right? You’ve got Peter and Cora now. Real family.” He waves a hand in Jennifer’s direction. “You’ve got whatever’s going on with her so it’s all good. You’re great. Hope they’re helpful when the Alphas come for revenge.”

“Revenge?”

Stiles smiles, all fake cheer, at the surprise in Derek’s voice. “Oh, you didn’t know. Apparently you killed Ennis so now the Alpha pack is beyond pissed. But I’m sure someone from your new pack would have told you all that.”

Derek reaches out, but Stiles evades him. “Damn it, Stiles.”

“Nope, we’re done here. I’m tired and I stink and I just want to go home.”

Something finally occurs to Derek and he frowns. “Did you come here straight from the school?”

“Duh. Do you think I’d still reek of gasoline if I’d gone home first?”

“Why? Why would you…”

Stiles smiles, and it’s so full of weary bitterness that it makes Derek ache. “I needed to stop and say goodbye.” He sighs heavily. “I just didn’t know I’d be doing it to your face.”

Derek is so stunned that he can’t do anything as Stiles turns and walks away. The sound of the door closing is like a slam in the sudden silence of the loft.

I am a Sterek shipper as well, and while I didn't hate Jennifer right off the bat, I don't like her flat character and I don't like the forced relationship. I knew they weren't going to be end game (Jeff isn't going to let Derek have nice things any time soon LOL), but I did hope they'd at least be interesting.

I inspired a new word. Yay! *bounces* I was really unsure about this because I'm angry at Derek right now and angry at the TW writers, but I didn't want this to be a rant, I wanted a fic. So I'm glad it worked for you.

I want to believe she is working with/is the dark durid thingy. Derek wanted to get ahold of them, but she used her sexy skills of distraction to stop him. <---- Because this has to be true!

Yes, flat forced and unbelievable are all words that come to mind with Derek/Jennifer. And I laugh when people on tumblr try to say us Sterek fans have it wrong. (Like in 3.05 when they were all, "Stiles is not in love with Derek. He didn't care if he died." And I like to point out how many times he could have just let Derek die, if he didn't care. Heck he safed Ethan. (major dick BTW thanking Scott and not Stiles for the live saving)

Stiles will have a breakdown soon, question who will be there for him?

She's definitely something, and my distrust of her went nuclear when she tried to convince Derek to let his pack to think he was dead then tried to play it off like it would be an advantage for him.

People don't seem to get that what Stiles DOES is always more telling that what he SAYS. If he truly wanted Derek dead, he's been in the best position to make that happen. Maybe with the wolfsbane bullet, Derek wasn't so far gone that he couldn't fight back, but he would have definitely drowned if Stiles hadn't gone after him.

I see that breakdown coming too and it scares me. Dylan is just way too good at what he does so I know it's going to be heartbreaking.